The thirteenth tier of martial cultivation was Realm King.
Jiang He’s reasoning for naming it Realm King was because he believed that thirteenth tier of martial cultivation should be the same as Grand Luo, who possessed the power of destroying entire realms.
In his farm, Jiang He’s body twitched as he sat on the ground cross-legged, and in the next instant, his Dao could be heard rumbling in his body and a frightening aura awakened.
An enormous Grotto-Heaven materialized behind Jiang He then.
It was cultivated when he reached the twelfth tier of martial cultivation, and within, the dimensions overlapped with a faint energy of destruction swirling.
Right after Jiang He reach Realm King, the enormous Grotto-Heaven crumbled and reassembled itself.
The crumbling space endlessly condensed into man stars.
The stars would rapidly assemble into nebulas or a planetary system… and eventually into a profound realm.
“Hmmm?”
Jiang He, who had his eyes closed in meditation, could not help exclaiming in surprise after seeing how his Grotto-Heaven had changed. “My Grotto-Heaven has actually become an entire realm on its own? Well… it feels like having a universe in my body!”
Jiang He naturally knows about the concept of having a universe in the body since a lot of novels assumed that route.
Of those, the most famous was the Galactic Devourer, where martial artists cultivated from planet-tier up to star-tier and then realm-ruler, which was based on the size of cosmic bodies.
There were also galactic shift novels that used the same gimmick as well.
“However, the universe body in those novels would start from weak to strong, while I had directly cultivated an entire realm?”
That was when a ridiculous thought occurred to Jiang He then. “Would my planetary realm improve with my cultivation into a complete universe? Doesn’t that mean I would be some novel protagonist?”
Jiang He’s thoughts ran wild.
After a long while, he felt that his body had reached an extreme, and it was only then that he slowly rose to his feet and skipped a few times, then punched the air for a bit.
“If my hunch is right, Realm King, the thirteenth tier of martial cultivation is equal to Grand Luo-pinnacle… and in a melee fight, Realm King would be stronger than Grand Luo!”
Martial arts were made to kill, just like the immortal swordsmen of the cultivators.
Immortal swordsmen were the best in killing among peers of the same tier, but that might not be certain against martial artists of the same level.
Of course, cultivators had their own advantage.
Cultivators who had reached Grand Luo would live a long age, and aside from cultivating daily, they would study item refinement, pellet refinement, and arrays. If they had the time to cast arrays and their various methods, the victory of martial artists from the same tier might not be assured.
“I’m only full-fledged Grand Luo and at the thirteenth tier of martial cultivation now, and the stacking of both means that average Demi-Saints would never win against me. I also stand a chance against stronger Demi-Saints… but I am not at the level of the Nether River Patriarch.”
Collecting his thoughts, Jiang He turned to look at a corner of the farm.
There was a faint halation over there.
One could vaguely see a jade back scratcher within the halation, which was emanating a faint glimmer that shrouded a hundred Mu worth of farmland.
On the ground, Dumbo, Trumbo, the Nine Wise Rock Monkeys, the Seven Bottle Gourd Brothers, Boa Hancock, Sora, and Hu Mei were all sitting cross-legged. The loli willow-tree and the Cloudscraper Vine, which curled itself into a lump, was beside them.
An immortal tower floated in the Farm as well, inside of which was the three hundred Golden Immortals and True Immortals under Jiang He’s rule.
Their immortal auras were hidden by the auras of the western gods, and since it had been a year outside, they had lived through hundreds of years in the time acceleration array, and thus had absorbed and cultivated the Overdeity divinities to various degree.
Most of them had fully cultivated the Overdeity divinities, however, and their bodies would emanate profound divine might even as they just sat there.
Only a few did not manage to fully cultivate the Overdeity divinities, though they were not far from it, and their auras had already reached the pinnacle of Greater Gods.
“Interesting.”
Jiang He stared closely without disturbing them.
Of those who had already cultivated the Overdeity divinities, dozens had auras stronger than Golden Immortal-pinnacle, but were weaker than real Grand Luo. They were almost equal in power with the White Sky God King, who had once attempted an invasion on Earth, and were at the level where they could overwhelm Golden Immortals and trade blows against Grand Luo, albeit with no hope of winning.
Of the rest, half of them had equally powerful auras compared to Grand Luo, while some had auras stronger than normal Grand Luo, but would lose out to the best of Grand Luo.
On the same tier, Overdeities would lose out to Grand Luo.
However, there were some powerful Overdeities such as Ares, Poseidon, Hephaestus, Apollo, and others who would not lose out to the best of Grand Luo when they were alive. Those who inherited their divinities were therefore stronger than average Grand Luo, even though they could not cultivate the abilities those Overdeities had back when they were alive.
Jiang He was most satisfied with the improvement in Dumbo and the others.
They had cultivated with Zeus’s Overdeity divinity.
Though he was an Overdeity like the others, Zeus was the Father of Gods, and far surpassed other Overdeities in tier and ability, even giving Demi-Saints a run for their money.
Being the God of Thunder, his divinity contained powerful thunder energy.
Right now, Dumbo, Trumbo, and the others had thunderbolts sparkling around their bodies, and their auras were no weaker than Jiang He’s.
“After cultivating Zeus’s Overdeity divinity, Dumbo and the others would be a little weaker than Demi-Saints, but much stronger than most Grand Luo.”
Jiang He felt very spirited just then.
Having cultivated martial arts and immortal arts in tandem and having combat ability to match Demi-Saints, along with a horde of pets, maids, and slaves at the level of Grand Luo, would he still have to fear the Nether River Patriarch?
“As for the rest, they would be able to fully cultivate their Overdeity divinities in around ten years, which is around a month outside. Incidentally, we could use this time to let Dumbo and the others meditate further on the tier of Overdeity while I gather more Farm Points.”
Jiang He stepped out of the farm and called a Chan Sect immortal lady to him.
“Are you a Golden Immortal?”
She appeared a little embarrassed to see Jiang He, but nodded.
“What is the mystic treasure you use? Could you invoke it for me to see?”
A flying sword shot out at the immortal lady’s thought.
Immortal light flickered upon it—it was a premium-grade immortal weapon.
Accepting it, Jiang He brushed his fingers gently over the sword and said, “A premium-grade immortal weapon with the water attribute and containing some special energy. It would be buffed in power if you cast a Dao technique with water element, right?”
“Void your contract with it, and I’ll upgrade it.”
The immortal lady panicked and quickly asked, “What are you going to do, Lord Jiang He?”
Jiang He chuckled. “Are you worried that I would steal your flying sword? To tell you the truth, aside from being a pellet refinist, I am also an item refinist… Your flying sword is fine in quality, and it might become an acquired soul weapon after some refining.”
Mystic treasures were basically half of a cultivator’s existence.
However, considering that Jiang He was an important guest of the Chan Sect and that many of the big shots of her sect were friends with him, the immortal lady hesitated for a moment before nullifying her contract with the flying sword.
Jiang He took it and entered the farm.
Digging a hole and sprinkling the Living Soil of the Nine Heavens over it, Jiang He buried and watered it before leaving the Farm.
“We could have a chat you have nothing to do, fairy child. If you’re busy, return an hour later to claim your mystic treasure.”
The fairy child did want to build ties with Jiang He, but ultimately did not dare to hang around. “I’ll see you later, Lord Jiang He.”
After she left the yard and returning to her own residence, the immortal lady was apprehensive and unable to calm down. When her best friend found her in that state when he came to visit, he could not help asking about it.
The immortal lady told him what had happened, and her friend could not help laughing. “And you believe him?”
“I’ve heard about Jiang He. He had only cultivated briefly and is less than fifty years old, though he is already a full-fledged Grand Luo, and his pellet-refinement techniques would put our master pellet refinists to shame… he is already unparalleled in all those things, so wouldn’t it be outrageous if he could refine items as well?”
The immortal lady’s friend was naturally a Chan Sect immortal as well.
He was a handsome male Golden Immortal, and he spoke with strong conviction, “I’m an item refinist who can craft superior-grade immortal items and am quite learned in that matter… those who could refine premium-grade immortal items are grandmaster item refinists, and they would not lose out in status to superior beings!”
“As for refining acquired soul treasures… every grandmaster item refinist could do it, but the materials for such work is too demanding, and skill alone cannot accomplish it.”
“As for upgrading a premium-grade immortal item to an acquired soul treasure… that would be a joke of the year! Only the Saints could achieve such a thing, and not even the best item refinist across worlds could it, let alone your run-of-the-mill item refinist!”
The lady immortal’s expression darkened and she became unsettled. It was fortunate that one hour was not long, and she soon rose to her feet and flew toward the yard where Jiang He stayed.
Her friend followed her, saying flatly, “I would like to see how Jiang He could refine a premium-grade immortal item to an acquired soul treasure in an hour!”
“Hah! If he could do it, I’ll swallow your sword on my knees, Junior Sister!”
Soon, they arrived at the yard.
Jiang He was leaning on a lounger and sleeping soundly.
He did not sense the lady immortal’s arrival.
“Lord Jiang He, lord Jiang He…”
Jiang He only woke up after the lady immortal called him a few times. Rubbing his eyes, he yawned, “Ah, I fell asleep… oh, you’re here?”
“Wait here for a moment. I’ll get your stuff.”
Jiang He darted inside his Farm in a flash.
Within, a pale blue immortal sword was hanging in the air.
He reached out to pluck it.
[Ding!]
[+50 million Farm Points.]
[Blackwater Sword]
[Grade: Inferior-grade acquired soul treasure.]
[Sacrifice a drop of blood for use.]
“Not bad.”
Jiang He was very satisfied. “Planting a premium-grade immortal item earns me fifty million Farm Points… wouldn’t I earn a few hundred billion Farm Points easily if I could plant thousands of premium-grade immortal items?”
***
Meanwhile, at the Celestial Court, the Jade Emperor was having a drink and enjoying the dance of several beautiful fairy maidens.
Then, Lü Dongbin arrived, requesting an audience.
The fairy maidens left respectfully at the wave of the Jade Emperor hand, and Lü Dongbin soon entered the hall.
“Welcome, Duke of Dong Mu.”
“Come, take a seat… have you purchase the materials for the Dao Enlightenment Pellets?”
Lü Dongbin took his seat, but quickly stood up in reply to the Jade Emperor’s question. “Your Majesty, the ingredients for the Dao Enlightenment Pellets are preciously rare. I have sent forth all immortals to make purchase as much as they could, but we’ve only managed to gather a hundred thousand portions of materials for the Dao Enlightenment Pellets.”
“A hundred thousand portions means three hundred thousand Dao Enlightenment Pellets at best… and that’s not counting the ones wasted during the refining process.”
“In addition, we do not have many Dao Enlightenment Pellets left, and I had ordered someone to count them, but there were less than ten thousand.”
The Jade Emperor smiled bitterly. “Dao Enlightenment Pellets are rare in the first place and are very difficult to make, or becoming Grand Luo would not be all that difficult otherwise… Still, I had obtained the recipe of the Dao Enlightenment Pellets and we’ll be bringing both the recipe, the ingredients, and the pellets to the Hollow Jade Palace.”
Having received his orders, Lü Dongbin was about to leave when the Jade Emperor said, “By the way, I recently heard some rumors circulating among the sects who left the homeworld… Is it true that Jiang He had committed indiscriminate slaughter, wiping off a number of immortal sects and more if they rubbed him the wrong way? Is that true?”
